Osprey Lookout Trail – Kamloops Trails
The Clearwater Lake Campgrounds are at the end of the Clearwater Valley road in Wells Gray Provincial Park. From the campground are several tails which go east and north. the trailhead for the Osprey Lookout starts right at the campground. The signed and well-maintained trail is also the trailhead for the Sticta Falls and Dragon’s Tongue, the Osprey Loop, and the Chain Meadows Trail.
We hiked up the slopes through the forest for about half a kilometer to a junction. The left turn climbed up the ridge to Osprey Lookout and the right turn went over to Sticta Falls and Dragon’s Tongue. We turned left and started the climb up the ridge.
At km, we arrived at a viewpoint looking down on the Clearwater River. Osprey Falls was a result of a lava flow that partly dammed Clearwater Lake. the lava flow happened 8500 years ago and the falls are lower now than they once were. Clearwater Lake drains down the valley and over the falls. The river continues south to join the North Thompson River, 70 km away.
Just past the lookout was another junction. The Chain Meadows Trail continues north, through the forest, and over the ridge for 5 km to the top of Easter Bluffs, then down for another 3.5 km to the Clearwater Lake boat launch. We have hiked this longer loop before, but for this day, we turned onto the Osprey Loop.
The trail wound through hemlock-cedar-birch forests in a 0.6 km loop.
Although the trail was pleasant, there were no additional views and it brought us back to the junction. We started back down the Osprey Lookout Trail.
We combined the Osprey Lookout Trail with the Sticta Falls – Dragon’s Tongue hike for a 5.7 km route. At the end of the hike, we finished next to the Clearwater River on a section of calm water flowing south.
This is a hike we have done before and we will do again. The Clearwater Lake Campground is a favorite basecamp for paddling and hiking.
Doug Smith
Doug writes for Kamloops Trails, a not-for-profit (and ad free) website, offering information on trails, waterways, routes, featured spots, viewpoints, and explorations in the outdoors in the Kamloops area (and beyond).
Doug started exploring this area in 1976 and continues to follow tracks and routes wherever they lead, with the aid of map, compass, GPSr and camera. After many dead-ends, but also many discoveries, he chose to share this information.
The Kamloops Trails website has a massive number of interesting posts and would be of interest to anyone in Kamloops who enjoys the outdoors. Visit the Kamloops Trails website at: http://www.kamloopstrails.ca/
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